A FIFTEEN-year-old boy who stole a wedding dress from a neighbour's home said he was bullied into doing it by another teenager who targeted him on social media.

At Carlisle's Youth Court, the boy's solicitor told magistrates the youth was a vulnerable individual, who may be suffering from as yet undiagnosed autism.

"He genuinely felt that he was at risk of serious harm, if not actual death, because that was the threat he received," said the teenager's defence lawyer Steven Marsh.

The teenager admitted burglary.

John Moran, prosecuting, said the defendant had no previous convictions or cautions but because he committed such a serious offence he could not be dealt with out of court.

The prosecutor outlined how the youth committed the burglary last year while he had access to the key to his victim's Eden Valley home because one of his relatives had permission to enter her address.

Explaining how the offence was discovered, Mr Moran said: "What happened is that between February and July [the home owner] noticed things had gone missing."

It was mainly items of clothing, he said.

"It included a wedding dress, underwear and bras.

"The woman said that on one occasion last summer she noticed that her bed was very untidy and it had brown dirt marks, and there was very strong smell of manure coming from the bed."

The mystery was solved when relatives of the boy arrived at the woman's house and presented her with clothing they had found in the teenager's bedroom wardrobe.

Some of it was damaged - and the wedding dress had a ripped zip.

The boy later admitted using scissors to cut some of the clothing.

In a statement, the victim spoke of no longer feeling safe in her home.

She had spent nearly £340 on new security measures.

"I strongly believe he needs help with possible underlying issues," added the woman.

Mr Marsh said the teenager had moderate learning difficulties and there was a possibility he also had autism.

The lawyer said: "He was bullied last year at school and this led to the offence."

The boy responsible had told the teenager to break into somewhere and steal something otherwise he would kill him, said Mr Marsh.

The teenager had willingly provided the bully's name, explaining that the burglary order was issued on Instagram.

"That was his explanation," said Mr Marsh.

"It was because of the threat he'd received; and it is not something he'd have done otherwise."

The lawyer added that the boy took things literally and the threat had left him afraid.

Asked to comment in court, the boy said: "I was scared."

A close relative who sat beside the the boy in court told magistrates: "It was totally out of character for him.

"He was coming back from school with bruises, and he'd say he'd fallen over. It's been an absolute nightmare tying to get them to do anything about it. He's grand at home."

Magistrates imposed a nine month referral order, and ordered the boy to pay his victim £690 compensation as well as a a £20 victim surcharge.